[360c]

Historic NSW number plate '29' sells for record $745,000

by James Cockington

As predicted in last week's Saleroom, the sale of historic  number plate NSW 29 set a new Australian auction record price of $745,000 (including buyer's premium) at Shannons Autumn Classic Auction in Sydney on Monday night.

This result – incredible is one description - was nearly $200,000 above the pre-auction high estimate. It smashed the previous record of $530,000 for a double-digit numerical plate set by Victorian plate '21' at a Shannons sale in Melbourne in July 2016. It also tops the $689,000 paid for NSW plate 2 in 2003, previously regarded as the record for any plate sold at auction in Australia.

As a comparison, NSW 29 fetched nearly four times the $180,000 paid for the best-selling car on the night – a restored 1970 XY Falcon GT.

The real value of these plates lies in the 'right to display' option which passed on to the winning bidder along with the tin rectangles. Total sales of heritage plates on Monday night were close to $1 million ($956,000 IBP).


The boom continues on Sunday when Mossgreen will be selling the NSW 36 plate. Estimates of $400,000 to $450,000 now seem rather conservative. This plate is one of the highlights of Mossgreen's first Sydney classic car auction, taking place at Carriageworks in Eveleigh.


Australian Financial Review

[tdc911]

36 sold for $744,000 including buyer's premium.

[360c]

36 sold for $744,000 including buyer's premium.

Wow, though probably not surprising given the combination
 of a 3 followed by a 6  --  "triple luck"

[Joel]

Can’t find the thread on the number 4. But here is what you buy with the $2.5m

[TJB]

91 sold for $560,000 at the Shannons auction last night

https://www.shannons.com.au/auctions/2018-shannons-sydney-spring-classic-auction/GF4DF1AKFCCRAK50/

[360c]

91 sold for $560,000 at the Shannons auction last night

https://www.shannons.com.au/auctions/2018-shannons-sydney-spring-classic-auction/GF4DF1AKFCCRAK50/

Probably about the right money.

[M308]

91 sold for $560,000 at the Shannons auction last night

https://www.shannons.com.au/auctions/2018-shannons-sydney-spring-classic-auction/GF4DF1AKFCCRAK50/

Reality numbers, I think.

[V8 Rumble]

Was an interesting auction, what I noticed is prices for the few plates offered didn't advance of the previous sale in the Autumn - in some cases a little softer. I suspect prices are in for a hiatus now the ability for investors to take equity out of houses has become a whole lot harder than previously was the case. Plus prices have ramped up 50% over the past 18 months so I would expect they need a breather given they'd not done a whole lot in the years prior. I have worked out the total market value of NSW numerical number plates is somewhere around $280m!

I know from NSW Roads and Martime site there are a little over 1,700 plates now on issue, within the total number set of 1 to 999,999. What's notable is NSW Roads & Maritime are issuing more plates from their back catalogue (over 200 over past 17 years, and about half that has occurred in the past 5 years), in fact mostly in the 3 digit section. I get the feeling the Government are seeing it like a money printing press they can turn on without the market noticing. That said, Feels like there is inherent risk of NSW Taxi plates all over again if the government wanted to open the gates on re-issue of 5 and 6 digit plates, which they could.

Any other reliable/interesting sources of data on NSW numerical plates or different views out there?